Scrimgeour qualifies for A final at World Rowing Championships

Day three of the World Rowing Championships saw British success in the lightweight men’s pair (LM2-) repechage with Sam Scrimgeour (Molesey BC/Kirriemuir) and Joel Cassells (Oxford Brookes Univ. BC/Coleraine) progressing into their A final, finishing third behind Italy and Russia and well clear of the rest of the field. The pair will race for the medals on Friday.

Both British eight crews were in action for the first time this week and were handed tough tests in their opening heats.

The women (W8+), a line up which included Scots Katherine Douglas (Leander Club/Edinburgh) and Karen Bennett (Leander Club/Edinburgh), were up first and the crew finished in third behind a strong showing from New Zealand and home favourites the USA.

The GB men (M8+), containing Callum McBrierty (Leander Club/Edinburgh) and Alan Sinclair (Leander Club/Inverness), challenged the Italian boat throughout, eventually finishing a very impressive row in second position, edging Australia and the Netherlands into third and fourth.

With only one boat from each heat of the men’s and women’s eights progressing straight through to the A finals, both GB crews will enter the repechages which take place on Thursday.

Speaking at the end of the third day of racing, British Rowing Performance Director Sir David Tanner said: “It’s been a very encouraging start to our World Championships and I’m pleased to see so many of our crews progress through to semi-finals and finals already.

“The squad have put in a huge amount of work since our last outing in Lucerne and those efforts are starting to pay dividends here in Florida. Our aim is to see as many crews as possible in action in their A finals this weekend.”